I. GOD
We believe there is only one God, who has revealed Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We believe every divine action in the world is accomplished by the Father working through the Son and in the power of the Spirit. This God has revealed Himself in creation and in the history of Israel as recorded in Scripture. (Genesis 1:1; I Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 4:4-6)
We believe that the Shema (“Hear”), as recorded in Deuteronomy 6:4 (“Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one“), teaches that God is Echad, as so declared: a united one, a composite unity, eternally existent in plural oneness
II. GOD THE FATHER
We believe God as the Creator of the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1) created humanity in His divine image to serve as His creation’s priest and ruler. God’s intention for creation consists of an order of interdependence, mutual blessing (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:15; Ephesians 1:4-6), and fellowship.
We believe God chose Israel (the Jewish people), and entered into an everlasting covenant with them so they might be the first-fruits of a renewed humanity, who would mediate blessing and restoration to all the nations of the world, and He gave the Land of Israel to the Jewish people as an inheritance and pledge of the blessing of the World to Come. (Genesis 12:1-3; Jeremiah 31:34-36, 35-37; Romans 11:28-29)
We believe God is Our Heavenly Father who watches over us as shown in: John 6:27b; I Corinthians 1:3; Galatians 1:1; Revelation 3:5, 21; Jeremiah 3:4, 19; 31:9; Malachi 1:6; Matthew 6:9, 32; Luke 10:21-22; John 1:14; 4:23; 5:17-26; 6:28-46; Romans 8:14-15.
III. GOD THE SON
We believe that in the fullness of time, God’s Son became a human being—Yeshua the Messiah (meaning “God saves”), born of a Jewish virgin (Isaiah 7:14 (cf.Luke 1:30-35), a true and perfect Israelite, a fitting representative and one-man embodiment of the entire nation.
We believe He lived as a holy, righteous man (tsaddik), fulfilling without blemish the mitzvot (commandments) of the Torah, bringing to perfection the human expression of the divine image (Isaiah 7:14; John 1:14; Galatians 4:4; Hebrews 1:1-4; 4:15)
We believe that the Son, Yeshua, died as an atonement for the sins of Israel and of the entire world, and was raised bodily from the dead, as the first-fruits of the resurrection promised to Israel as its glorification. He ascended to heaven and was there enthroned at God’s right hand as Israel’s promised Messiah, (Isaiah 9:6-7; 11:1; Daniel9 (especially verses 20-26); Isaiah 53; John 1:17, 40-41, 45, 49; Mark 8:29), and Lord with authority extending to the ends of creation. (Isaiah 53:4-6; Psalm 110:1; Matthew 28:18; Mark. 14:61-62; I Corinthians 15:3-8; Philippians 2:5-11)
We believe Yeshua is the Mediator between God and all creation, and no one can come to the Father except through Him. (Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 24:46-48; John. 14:6; Romans. 6:22, 23; I Corinthians 11:23-27)
We believe the Son is God, having the attributes of Deity (preexistence – John 8:58; Creator of the Universe – Hebrews 1:2; Sinless –II Corinthians 5:21; Forgives Sins – Mark 2:5; Power over Nature – Mark 4:41; Raise the Dead –John 11:1-44; Power over disease –John 9:25-32; Resurrection – I Corinthians 15:3-9; Eternal – Revelation 1:8; 22:13; Holy – John 6:69; Omnipresent – Matthew 28:20; Omnipotent – Matthew 28:18; Immutable – Hebrews 13:8; Sustainer of Creation – Hebrews 1:3; Colossians 1:17; Brings Salvation – I John 4:14; Accepts Worship – John 9:59; Object of Prayer – Acts 7:59; Universal Judge – Matthew 25:31-46; Omniscient – John 16:30), and is worshiped as God, having existed eternally (Psalm 110:1 (cf. Hebrews 1:13); Isaiah 9:6-7; Matthew 28:18-20; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:15-19; Revelation 3:21 (Hebrews 1 – worshiped by angels); Revelations 4:8, 5:5-14), and Lord, having received this name because of His bodily resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 2:5-11)
We believe this resurrection can be proven by:
- The Evidence of Prophecy
- The Evidence of the Empty Tomb
- The Evidence from Eyewitnesses
- The Evidence of the Transformation of the Disciples
- The Evidence of Yeshua being worshiped as God
- The Evidence of the creation of the Messianic Believers
IV. GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe God poured out His Divine Holy Spirit on the community of Yeshua’s followers, so that they might be joined intimately to the Messiah as His Body and become the preliminary representation of the New Covenant fullness promised to Israel. To this early Jewish community God added partners from among the nations who heard the news of God’s work in Yeshua and responded to the good news with trust, through faith, as shown by their fruit (Isaiah 66:20-21; Acts 2:1-21; 10:44-48; 15:8-9; Ephesians 1:13; 2:11-22)
We believe that in the Tanakh, the Spirit of God came upon individuals during the times of our forefathers, like Moses, David (see II Samuel 23:1-3), and the Prophets, for the specific purposes.
We believe today that God’s Spirit, described as the “Spirit of Truth”, will empower us (Acts 1:8), and seal us (Ephesians 1:13; 4:30(see NIV and Jewish New Testament versions)). His indwelling enables us to live a godly covenant life, leading and teaching us (Romans 8:14-17).
V. SCRIPTURES
We believe the holy instructions (Torah) is God’s gift to Israel as a covenantal way of life. It serves as the constitution of the Jewish people and those from the nations have joined themselves to the Messianic Jewish community, which comprises Israel’s eschatological first-fruits. The Torah does not have the same role for those from the nations, though it does provide spiritual nourishment as a witness to the Messiah (Isaiah 56:6-7).
We believe the Torah also provides universal norms of behavior and practical life teaching for all, and is to be applied anew in every generation, and in this age as is fitting to the New Covenant order. (Matthew 5:17-20; II Timothy 3:16-17; I Corinthians 7:17-20)
We believe the writings of the Tanakh and Brit Hadashah are divinely inspired and fully trustworthy (true), a gift given by God to His people, provided to impart life and to form, nurture, and guide them in the ways of truth. They are of supreme and final authority in all matters of faith and practice. (II Timothy 3:16, 17; II Peter 1:19-21)
We believe that the accuracy of the scriptures can be proven through:
- The Evidence of Prophecies
- The Evidence of Inspiration
- The Evidence of Infallibility
- The Evidence of Transmission
- The Evidence of Archaeology
- The Evidence of Unity
- The Evidence of Authentication
- The Evidence of Integrity
- The Evidence of Canon
- The Evidence of Preservation
VI. MEN, WOMEN, AND SIN
We believe men and women are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27), however because of disobedience, mankind fell from the first state and became separated from God (Genesis 2:17; 3:22-24). Therefore, according to the Scriptures, all humans are born with a sinful nature (Psalm 14:1-3; 49:7; 53:13; Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:9-12, 23; 5:12).
We believe that forgiveness of sins, spiritual renewal, union with Messiah, the empowering and sanctifying presence of the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit (Ruach Ha Kodesh), and the confident hope of eternal life and a glorious resurrection are now available to all, Jews and non-Jews, who put their trust, with faith, in Yeshua, the Risen Lord, as their atonement, and, in obedience to His word, are joined and sustained to Him and His Body through trust and immersion (Acts 2:38-39)
Community of Believers
We believe that Messiah’s community is a single community expressed in diverse forms within the Jewish community and among the nations (One in Messiah). All are called to a dedicated life of worship, service t God and man, and public testimony to Yeshua. Unity and love throughout the entire community confirm Yeshua’s role as the One sent by the Father, and God’s purpose in Messiah for Israel and the Nations. (John 17:20-21; Acts 21:20; Galatians 2:7-8)
We believe that spiritual life is grounded in godly family units within the relational framework of the communities of believers, whereby persons are to be encouraged, trained, disciplined, strengthened and established in their calling, Jew and non-Jew, to covenant life.
VII. RESURRECTION AND JUDGMENT
We believe in the resurrection of both the redeemed and the lost: the former to everlasting life and the latter to eternal separation from God, a state of everlasting punishment (Job 14:14; 19:25-27; Daniel 12:2-3; John 3:36; 11:25-26; Revelation 20:5-6, 10-15; 21:7-8).
VIII. THE MESSIAH – The Anointed One and Redeemer
We believe the Scriptures promised two “comings” of the Messiah. The First is called in the Talmud “Messiah ben Joseph” and the second is called “Messiah ben David”. We believe they are the same person, coming at different times, for different purposes.
A. First coming:
The first coming is as “Messiah ben Joseph” – “The Leprous One”. This coming has already been fulfilled as stated in over 350 prophecies (20 of them in one 24 hour period)
The first coming’s purpose was to make atonement (covering) for sin (Daniel 9:24-26; Isaiah 53; Romans 3:21-31; Hebrews 9-10; John 3:16-17)—as the Suffering Messiah.
B. Second coming:
At this coming the Messiah will return to earth as “Messiah ben David”, as recorded in the scriptures and the Talmud, and rule as King in Jerusalem in glory forever on the throne of David (Revelation 19:11-16), fulfilling the rest of the prophecies recorded in scripture.
We believe the Messiah will restore Israel in its fullness, raise the dead, save all who belong to Him, judge the wicked and accomplish the final restoration of the World (Tikkun Olam) in which Israel and the nations will be united under Messiah’s rule forever. (Isaiah 9:4-5/5-6; Romans 8:18-19; Revelation 20:11-15; 21:1-4)